Yatri Bhawan opens at Kheer Bhawani shrine

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday inaugurated Yatri Bhawan at the Kheer Bhawani temple in Ganderbal and said it would enhance the capacity of the shrine to host pilgrims visiting from across the country and abroad. The temple at Tulmulla is one of the most revered shrines in Jammu and Kashmir.

Dedicating the new facility to the public, the L-G said the new Yatri Bhawan would substantially improve the pilgrimage experience by providing safe, hygienic and comfortable accommodation facilities.

Located approximately 25 km from Srinagar, the shrine attracts a large number of devotees throughout the year, particularly during the annual Mela Kheer Bhawani and Jyeshtha Ashtami, when thousands of pilgrims, including members of the Kashmiri Pandit community, visit the temple.

In 2023, several delegations met Sinha to request a Yatri Bhawan to cater to the visiting devotees.

Subsequently, the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, through the Rural Engineering Wing (REW), designed the plan and the Lieutenant Governor laid the foundation stone for the facility in 2024, an official spokesperson said.

“With Mata Kheer Bhawani’s blessing, I had laid the foundation stone on Jyeshtha Ashtami in 2024. The project will enhance the capacity of the shrine to host pilgrims visiting from India and abroad. My goal has been to provide the Kashmiri Pandit community visiting the shrine excellent facilities and a serene spiritual experience,” Sinha said.

The facility constructed within the temple premises at a cost of Rs 3.85 crore comprises a ground-plus-two reinforced cement concrete (RCC) framed structure with a plinth area of 3,885 sq ft and is designed to accommodate approximately 800-900 pilgrims through floor bedding arrangements, the spokesperson said. Earlier, the L-G paid obeisance at the temple and prayed for peace, prosperity and the well-being of all.